”no-think”

Tues – Sun 17 Nov – 09 Dec 2022, 11 am – 07 pm
Manzi Exhibition Space
02 ngõ Hàng Bún, Ba Đình, Hà Nội

From the organizer:

Originated from an unrealized series of installations ten years ago that Phúc had fully formed idea about, ‘no-think’ when comes into being at manzi this month, is an interplay of the physical presence and the re-appearance of what -used -to- exist-and-archived:
A bottle of penicillin filled with tears
A reptile animal
A flying strip of fabric tied with a knot
A painting made of scorched rice
A man running on a blooming field of yellow flowers
A man perching on a loofah pergola
A man lying on a blossom bush
A ring on the floor formed by buffalo dung

Such an overload of visual materials on disparate forms, ‘No-Think’ offers a space crammed full with images. They collide, or more accurately pushing down and simultaneously lifting up, interrupting while harmonizing & backing each other. The audience gets struck by a great amount of visual information and an overwhelming force inherent therein that directly attacks their senses. Though being perceived, this visual data is seemingly unable to be processed, obviously incomprehensible due to its absurdity and lack of coherence.

Rejecting any logical connection or cohesiveness, the visual fragments featuring in ‘No-Think’ are nevertheless authentic and original as Nguyễn Văn Phúc “…did not aim to question their origins, but rather to perceive and keep them in one’s own memory”. As if an effort to catch some random images popping into our heads or to summon fleeting shadows in a dream. From this perspective, the immateriality of our subconscious mind has been materialized in Nguyễn Văn Phúc’s installations, with a distinct structure composed of aggressiveness along with playfulness, roughness mixing into delicacy.

By that way, ‘No-Think’, though saturated with its visual indulgence, is not a spectacular superficial parade. Neither is a cunning disguise concealing an internal shallowness nor a tactfully strategic formation striving for a defined goal. The intensity and purity of visual perceptions as well as physical sensation are confronted with the (active) emptiness of thoughts. Such juxtaposition of body & mind in ‘No-Think’ provokes the transparency closing to mindfulness – a mental state in the insight meditation. When thinking is insignificant and futile; when any labels/beliefs/concepts, … all abstract forms that often shadow our view of things have all been eliminated, in such cases where shall we be led to? Can it be close to the truth itself, as Phúc expects: “[…] I make no attempt to protest against or intentionally diverge from the movement of postmodern art which centers on the concept; instead, my approach is simply based on my own living experiences, and as I believe it offers me a way to come to the truth.” (Artist’s statement)

“No-Think” marks an end of twelve-year -(half) absence of Phuc from the local art scene and excitingly opens up a brand new chapter of his art practice.

Note for visitor:
– Due to the fragility of the installation and the complexity of the set up, we can only accommodate max 5 persons for each slot.
– In light of the current coronavirus developments, please wear a mask when visiting
– Free admission (the event is not appropriate for children under 12)

Follow updates on event’s page.